Hamid Hill Farm’s Spanish-Norman stallion Romantico H.H.F., sired by the Andalusian Embajador IX, was selected to compete at the United States Equestrian Team “Festival of Champions,” June 21-25, 2000 at the USET Headquarters and Olympic Training Center, Gladstone, New Jersey.

Romantico H.H.F. is owned by Linda and Allan Hamid of Woodbury, Connecticut, co-founders of the Spanish-Norman breed. The Hamids established the Spanish-Norman Horse Registry, Inc. in 1991 to record the pedigrees of the breed, a blending of the genes of the Andalusian of Spain and the Percheron of France, a genetic and historical re-creation of the medieval knight’s charger.

Romantico H.H.F. and his trainer Garry McAllister, both in medieval armor, competed with seven other horses in the USET Invitational Freestyle Reining on June 24 at 1:30 pm.

In 1998 the USET approved Reining as the sixth equestrian discipline. In April 2000, the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) recognized Reining as an Olympic sport.

The western discipline of Reining is a “natural” for the Spanish-Norman, the “warhorse of the ages as the sporthorse of today.” Facing the enemy on the battlefield required courage, strength and absolute obedience to the knight’s command. Bred for the rigors of combat, the warhorse was prized for instant responsiveness, suppleness and natural balance. The modern Spanish-Norman embodies these same attributes of temperament, athletic ability and devotion to the rider.

The versatile Spanish-Norman horse has been featured in premier equine publications in the U.S., Canada, Spain, England and Germany. The website: www.spanish-norman.com has attracted equestrian enthusiasts from all over the world.

With its noble heritage and outstanding physical characteristics, the Spanish-Norman horse is destined to make an important contribution to the equestrian world of today.